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The shops are sounding out loudly the annual message of "Tis the season to be jolly" again. And so it goes for at least 2 months to get the most out of it all. Some say put Jesus back in Christmas while others actually know for a fact and can prove it, that Jesus was never part of this pagan festival. The vast majority of people alive today have no idea of the historical facts that are there for all to see if they take the time, the motivation or inclination to look with eyes wide open. No good turning a blind eye to the reality that Christ was not born on December 25 or anywhere near it. Yet people want to believe what they want to believe, quite happy and content in their ignorance while some freely admit they just don't care. It seems as though people are decidedly rapt up in their desires of what they want and their expectations concerning xmas. As a child in Catholicland I was taught to always capitalise the C in Christmas to show respect to God. Sadly I believed this rubbish and gladly conformed. Now I know otherwise and if I have to write the word, I respect God by definitely NOT placing His name anywhere near this deception. If only people would read the Bible to find out what life is all about and to discover that Jesus the Christ was actually born during the season of autumn in the northern hemisphere.
Gathering together in these modern fast paced times, it is really nice and heartwarming to slow down, share a day with good food and plenty of fun and laughter with family and friends. We can do this throughout the year but sadly people in many families do not make the conscious effort of gathering together each week like we used to for the traditional Sunday lunch of lamb roast (or beef or chicken) replete with vegetables; or even on a monthly basis to catch up and share their time. It seems to be all too hard to put others before ourselves these days. How did we get so selfish? Instead many prefer a "once off" on an annual basis especially if travelling from afar in order to attend an event with much feasting and frivolity by giving the minimum of themselves as it takes less effort, less time and then there is the matter of getting something.
There are some families who spend many weeks preparing for the "big day" and blow the budget in order to make everything special. Gift giving is lavish to say the least and the vast majority of the morning on December 25 is involved in opening gifts. Here is the big reason behind it all -- the presents -- the stuff we give and get. The colourful wrapping paper with shiny bows that look ever so enticing to our eyes while covering or hiding the contents inside to give children so much excitement. Maybe your family agrees to a present limit, or a "lucky dip", or are nominated one person to buy for. Whatever it is, it lasts only one day and is so transient -- here one day, gone the next. Seems like a year's worth is condensed into just one day with over the top celebrations leaving all feeling tired, cranky, with upset tummies from indulgence, and headaches from strong drink. Think yourself lucky not to get a dose of gastro from the prawns and seafood left out too long in the hot sun. Cleaning up the mountain of wrapping paper and unwanted packaging fills the rubbish bins to overflowing which are there to see along the road the week after when all is said and done with memories fading. Memories of batteries not included, things unwanted and discarded because they were not thoughtfully chosen, items to be taken back to the store that got broken, among all the things you wish you could forget that should have been left unsaid but came out anyway from loosened tongues wagging away at family members for one reason or another. Are we an ungrateful bunch or what?!
Attending my last xmas some years ago I remember the empty feeling and hating everything this day represented once I knew the truth and could see it for what it truly is -- it all looked and felt fake to me -- worshipping self and the devil. I was there in person but my heart was not in it and it deeply troubled me. You see, God called me out of the world about six weeks or 40 days before xmas and family had already organised things and the pressure was there. I bowed to this pressure for the last time but resolved to never again. Thankfully I was not baptized at this stage as yet, but I would have much preferred just staying home to read a good book. Since then many shopkeepers have spontaneously revealed to me that they truly wished they could escape from all the pressures of xmas for them to please family and all the hype and hoo-haa that is part of it. Some even declared they knew it was a made-up holiday with false pagan roots evolving into way over-the-top modern additions while they wistfully looked at me as I smiled in peace and joy knowing my escape had profoundly changed my life. They wanted their escape too but did not know how to go about it despite the fact I shared the simple way I told my family that xmas was no more for me. It seemed to be a hard unattainable dream to them way out of their reach.
We tend to get all wrapped up in ourselves at times, absorbed in our needs and wants, and the world does not help by telling us big fat lies such as this is good, you deserve it, for YOLO (you only live once). Work hard, play hard. Do whatever makes you feel good. Get the latest gadgets. Upgrade now, don't get left behind. Hurry, hurry, hurry!!! Buy now, pay later. Where does it all end? For some in bankruptcy, others in debt that takes all year to clear and get back "in the black" just before the cycle starts all over again. What a tragic way to live. Yet it is a choice and we all have a choice despite people saying they do not have one as their family would be greatly upset and even angry at them for not conforming. Ahhh yes, pleasing of people -- people pleasing was something I did all my life and knew I did it as I squirmed trying to get out of things that were detrimental to my time but did them anyway despising myself in this weakness. No more. The only pleasing I aim to do now concerns pleasing God through faithful obedience by resisting and overcoming sin, and worshipping Him by celebrating His holy days, definitely not those of the world.
Perhaps your memories of xmas are really nice ones that do not involve drunk relatives, fighting, swearing, and arguments about who got what, how much was spent, and so forth. Everyone genuinely wanted the perfect day for December 25 with different expectations including how long people should stay before they let rip and tell them exactly what they thought about each other in no uncertain terms. Tragic but true. Never mind we were all gathered supposedly under the guise of religion. Now these are all just distant memories I do not entertain or revisit any more. There were odd snippets of good stuff here and there like when we got to go to the beach but it does not need to be xmas day to go swimming. Southern hemisphere living in Australia involves hot weather at xmas time as it is summer and there are ample opportunities to visit the beach during the months between December - April while things are sunny and warm. Beach time is kept as one favourite activity that never gets old for me while xmas has been dumped for good after understanding that it has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus and everything to do with the worship of fallen angels known as demons, the devil being their ringleader. It is a fascinating discovery to find out that the devil is much like a beautiful looking present -- all covered and wrapped up in the most gorgeous way, enticingly catching the light as it moves this way and that in your hands as you contemplate what could be inside. What is underneath all the mesmerising glitter and pretty colours is not able to be seen and that is precisely the way he wants it as the devil is full of lies and deception while masquerading as something good (2 Corinthians 11:14).
If you are disillusioned with xmas and are fed up with traditions you want to get to the bottom of by learning the truth of what exactly happened down through history then this may be exactly what you are looking for: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/holidays-or-holy-days-does-it-matter-which-days-we-observe
Also helpful is the following link providing information on God's 7 annual holy day festivals which replace xmas, new year's eve, valentine's day, easter, walpurgisnacht, halloween, and all saint's day.
https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/gods-holy-day-plan-the-promise-of-hope-for-all-mankind